VW Campervan
Compact campervan
- Seats
- —
- Sleeps
- 4
- Toilet
- —
- Shower
- —
- Transmission
- —
Hire your motorhome in Scotland from £60/day
Open Road Scotland review
Campervan and motorhome hire built around a Glasgow arrival.
Profile reviewed and updated on
Background
Company overview
Open Road Scotland operates through Open Road Motorhomes Ltd, hiring out campervans and motorhomes from its base in Paisley. Customers book directly with the company through its online reservation service. The business also offers motorcycle hire and tours, alongside its self-drive campervan and motorhome operation.
In the company's tenth-anniversary account, the founder dates the move beside Glasgow Airport to 2010. That location remains central to the rental service: arriving customers can transfer from the airport or a nearby railway station to collect their vehicle at the depot.
Our verdict
Editorial review
Open Road Scotland combines a straightforward arrival arrangement with a range that offers meaningfully different ways to live in the vehicle. It works well as a Glasgow starting point for travellers who want to choose their sleeping layout and level of onboard comfort, then have the company introduce them to the vehicle before departure.
The less forgiving part of the proposition is the financial protection if plans change or a hire is disrupted. The service includes help with getting under way and breakdown recovery, but those provisions do not remove the hirer's exposure to cancellation charges or the wider costs of an interrupted trip.
Good points
- An introduction to the vehicle.A demonstration at handover is backed by written instructions, so the practical explanation does not have to be remembered in full before leaving the depot.
- Everyday essentials included.Bedding, cooking equipment and a gas bottle are included in the hire. That reduces the basic equipment an arriving traveller needs to bring or buy before the trip.
Things to consider
- A hire refund does not cover every breakdown expense.The booking terms provide for refunding full days of hire lost to a breakdown, but exclude travel, accommodation and replacement costs. An interruption can therefore leave additional expenses with the traveller even when the unused hire days are refunded.
Vehicle categories
Open Road Scotland fleet
Highlander 685
Motorhome
- Seats
- —
- Sleeps
- 4
- Toilet
- Yes
- Shower
- Yes
- Transmission
- Automatic
Islander
Compact motorhome
- Seats
- —
- Sleeps
- 2
- Toilet
- Yes
- Shower
- Yes
- Transmission
- —
Lowlander 696
Motorhome
- Seats
- 4
- Sleeps
- 4
- Toilet
- Yes
- Shower
- Yes
- Transmission
- Automatic
The range runs from a compact VW conversion to motorhomes with their own washrooms and distinct sleeping layouts.
The VW Campervan is based on the T6 Transporter. Its pull-down double bed, living-area heater and kitchen with a fridge, two-ring hob and oven/grill provide the main camping equipment within the smaller format. The optional portable toilet is a different arrangement from the motorhomes' built-in washrooms; it should not be mistaken for a fitted bathroom.
For two people, the Islander combines a rear lounge that becomes a double bed with a front living area. Among the four-berth motorhomes, the Highlander 685 has rear twin beds and an electric drop-down double, while the Lowlander 696 pairs a fixed rear island double with a drop-down double. That distinction is useful when deciding whether separate rear beds or a permanent double suits the trip better. Both offer automatic transmission.
Heating is provided across these categories, with gas/electric heat in the Highlander and Lowlander and diesel heat in the Islander and VW. The Highlander also has solar equipment and a compressor fridge/freezer; the Lowlander adds a rear garage. These features describe the offered categories, rather than guaranteeing the exact vehicle assigned to a booking.
Locations
Open Road Scotland pickup locations
Open each country to see its pickup locations.
United Kingdom
-
Paisley — Glasgow Airport area Unit 12 Airlink Industrial Estate, Inchinnan Road, Paisley, PA3 2RS, Scotland, UK
Before booking
Practical facts
| Topic | What to know |
|---|---|
| Rental price examples | For direct Scottish hire, the two-berth Islander guide gives GBP 125 per day in January–March and November, and GBP 180 per day in July–August, on a seven-night hire basis. The four-berth VW guide gives GBP 85 and GBP 170 per day for those same periods respectively. These are indicative guide prices, not an all-in booking quote. |
| Booking payment | A 25% advance confirms the booking, with the balance due four weeks before hire. Bookings made within four weeks require full payment. This advance forms part of the rental price. |
| Booking confirmation | The company issues the binding confirmation after the online booking summary; the summary alone is not the operator's confirmation. |
| Cancellation | The direct booking terms charge the booking advance for cancellation more than six weeks before hire, 50% of the booking amount at four to six weeks, and 100% with less than four weeks to go. Successfully rehiring the vehicle may reduce the charge. |
| Driver requirements | Drivers need a full licence valid in the UK, held for at least 24 months, and insurer acceptance. Two proofs of identity and driver photographs are required; occupation and driving history can also affect acceptance. |
| Mileage | The direct booking terms state that there is no mileage charge. |
| Collection and access | Advertised collection starts at 14:00. Complimentary pickup is offered from Glasgow International Airport, with flight monitoring and meet-and-transfer, and from Paisley Gilmour Street railway station. Customers may leave a car at the depot at their own risk. |
| Included equipment | Hire includes bedding, cooking equipment, a gas bottle, toilet chemicals, insurance and breakdown/recovery. The facilities themselves depend on the vehicle category. |
| Pets | A pet-friendly motorhome must be booked in advance; the pet charge is GBP 50 per hire. A pet or smoking breach carries a separate GBP 100 charge. |
| Damage protection | Collision damage waiver does not remove liability for fixtures, equipment, windows, tyres, negligence or reversing/canopy impacts under the direct rental terms. It is not protection against every type of damage. |
| Travel beyond the mainland | Written approval is required for travel beyond mainland Scotland, England and Wales under the vehicle-use terms. Travel outside the UK also requires foreign insurance. |
| Fuel and cleaning on return | A fuel shortfall incurs the cost of replacement fuel plus GBP 30. Unmet interior-cleaning and toilet-cassette-cleaning requirements each carry a GBP 100 charge; they are separate conditional charges. |
| Late return | The website rental terms charge GBP 150 per day or part-day, plus rental, for a late return. |
| Breakdown costs | Full days of hire lost to a breakdown are refundable under the booking terms. Travel, accommodation and replacement costs are excluded. |
| Grocery receiving and packing | Receiving and packing a grocery order costs GBP 10 per service, with groceries paid for separately. |
| Bicycle hire | Seven-day bicycle hire is listed at GBP 80 for an adult ATB or GBP 70 for a hybrid. |
| Vehicle substitution | If damage makes the booked vehicle unavailable, the company may offer a substitute. Its terms provide for a refund if the substitute is unavailable or unacceptable. |
Quick answers
Open Road Scotland FAQ
Where do I collect the vehicle if I fly into Glasgow?
Collection is at the Paisley depot, rather than an airport-terminal desk. Open Road Scotland offers a complimentary transfer from Glasgow International Airport to the base, including flight monitoring and a meet-and-transfer service.
Which Open Road Scotland vehicles are automatic?
The Highlander 685 and Lowlander 696 are described as automatic; the Lowlander has a nine-speed transmission. No transmission type is stated for the VW Campervan or Islander.
Does the VW Campervan have a toilet and shower?
A portable toilet can be supplied on request; the VW's shower specification is not stated. For a fitted washroom, the Islander, Highlander 685 and Lowlander 696 each have an onboard toilet and indoor shower.
Can I bring a dog in an Open Road Scotland motorhome?
The company offers prebooked pet-friendly motorhome hire for an additional GBP 50 per rental. This arrangement needs to be agreed when booking; it is not blanket permission to take a pet in any vehicle.
Do I need to bring bedding and cooking equipment?
Both are included, together with a gas bottle. The VW also has requestable accessories, including an awning, child seat and GPS; these should be requested for that category rather than assumed to be fitted to every vehicle.
Does Open Road Scotland charge for mileage?
Its direct booking terms state that there is no mileage charge. That does not remove the separate requirement for written approval for travel beyond mainland Scotland, England and Wales.
What happens if I cancel shortly before departure?
With less than four weeks remaining, the direct booking terms charge the full rental amount. At four to six weeks the charge is 50%; more than six weeks ahead it is the booking advance. The company may reduce the charge if it successfully rehires the vehicle.
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